City Council - Public Safety & Criminal Justice and Public Health, Homelessness, & Recovery Joint Committee Hearing on Dockets #1346, 1661, & 1662

November 18, 2025
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Meeting Minutes: City Council - Public Safety & Criminal Justice and Public Health, Homelessness, & Recovery Joint Committee Hearing

Governing Body: Boston City Council - Joint Committee on Public Safety & Criminal Justice and Public Health, Homelessness, & Recovery Meeting Date: November 18, 2025, at 02:00 PM Type of Meeting: Joint Committee Hearing Attendees:

  • Councilor John Fitzgerald (Chair, Public Health, Homelessness, & Recovery)
  • Councilor Henry Santana (Chair, Public Safety & Criminal Justice)
  • Councilor Gabriela Coletta Zapata
  • Councilor Benjamin Weber
  • Councilor Edward Flynn
  • Councilor Enrique Pepén
  • Lieutenant Peter Messina (Boston Police Department, Street Outreach Unit)
  • Jenna Savage (Deputy Director, Boston Police Department's Office of Research and Development)

Executive Summary: The joint committee hearing addressed three dockets concerning grants from the Massachusetts Department of Mental Health (DMH) to the Boston Police Department (BPD). These grants, totaling $362,809.86, will fund Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) training for officers, a full-time recovery coach, and overtime costs for mental health training. Discussions highlighted the importance of these initiatives for de-escalation, mental health support, and community engagement, particularly in areas like Mass and Cass. The grants support critical programs such as the 40-hour CIT training, the co-response model with BEST clinicians, and the peer specialist role, all aimed at improving responses to mental health crises and connecting individuals to appropriate services.

Agenda Item: Dockets #1346, #1661, & #1662 - Message and Order Authorizing the City of Boston to Accept and Expend Grant Funds

Discussion:

  • Opening Remarks:
    • Councilor John Fitzgerald (Chair) opened the hearing at 2:10 PM, noting the joint nature of the meeting with Councilor Henry Santana. He emphasized the impact of these grants on his constituents, particularly in the Mass and Cass area, and the role of CIT and outreach teams in recovery and public safety.
    • Councilor Henry Santana (Co-Chair) expressed appreciation for the administration panel and highlighted the importance of Dockets #1661 and #1662 for funding mental health and crisis intervention training and a full-time recovery coach through BEST. He looked forward to a productive discussion and a vote at the next council meeting.
    • Councilor Gabriela Coletta Zapata offered no opening remarks, looking forward to the conversation.
    • Councilor Benjamin Weber and Councilor Enrique Pepén joined the meeting later.
  • Panelist Introductions and Presentation:
    • Lieutenant Peter Messina, Commander of the Street Outreach Unit, BPD, stated that these grants are critical for the unit's focus on de-escalation and treating individuals with mental health issues. He reported that approximately 270 officers have been trained to date, with high interest in further training.
    • Jenna Savage, Deputy Director of the BPD's Office of Research and Development, explained that all three grants are annual awards from the State Department of Mental Health and are heavily relied upon.
      • Docket #1346: Message and Order authorizing the City of Boston to accept and expend the amount of $262,809.86 in the form of a grant for the FY26 DMH-CIT-TTAC grant.
        • This grant supports the 40-hour Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) training, which has been in place for approximately four years.
        • The training covers de-escalation, recognizing mental health and substance use issues, and includes special sessions on elderly individuals, veterans, and suicide by cop.
        • Community partners co-teach sessions, and the training is tailored to Boston-specific resources.
        • Attendees include BPD officers, EMS, VGA officers, Mass State Police, and hospital/university officers.
        • Professional actors are used for scenario-based training, which officers find highly valuable.
        • The grant funds a full-time civilian CIT training coordinator within the Street Outreach Unit, as well as training location, supplies, and equipment.
      • Docket #1662: Message and Order authorizing the City of Boston to accept and expend the amount of $20,000 in the form of a grant for the FY26 DMH Training Grant.
        • This grant funds overtime costs to backfill officers attending CIT and other mental health trainings, making it easier for them to participate.
      • Docket #1661: Message and Order authorizing the City of Boston to accept and expend the amount of $80,000 in the form of a grant for the DMH FY26 co-response grant.
        • This grant previously funded co-response clinicians but is now used to fund a peer specialist position.
        • The peer specialist, with lived experience in mental health and substance use, assists individuals through recovery processes and is involved in "hub tables."
        • The position has been vacant since the previous specialist, Kelly Young, left for CRT, but efforts are underway to fill it.
  • Clarification on CIT and BEST:
    • Councilor Fitzgerald asked for clarification on the difference and overlap between CIT and BEST.
    • Ms. Savage explained that CIT is the training, primarily under BPD's Street Outreach Unit. BEST clinicians, who are master's-level social workers, co-teach many of the 40-hour CIT training modules and also train new recruits at the Academy.
    • Lieutenant Messina added that BEST clinicians serve as assessors during CIT training scenarios, providing expert feedback and building rapport with officers.
  • Definition of Hub Tables:
    • Ms. Savage defined "hub tables" as weekly, multidisciplinary meetings (e.g., in East Boston, Jamaica Plain, Roxbury, Dorchester) addressing individuals at risk of crisis in at least three areas (e.g., homelessness, domestic violence, gang involvement).
    • A four-filter process allows for information sharing among relevant agencies.
    • The peer specialist plays a crucial role in connecting individuals to services in real-time, focusing on crisis aversion rather than long-term case management.

Questions from Councilors:

  • Councilor Henry Santana:
    • Officer Coverage: Asked how many officers are covered by Docket #1346. Lieutenant Messina stated approximately 270 active BPD officers have been trained to date, either through BPD's program or external ones.
    • Voluntary Training: Confirmed that CIT training is voluntary. Ms. Savage noted this is a "great self-selection process" as interested officers are highly engaged. Officers can voluntarily identify themselves in the CAD system as CIT-trained for dispatch purposes.
    • Metrics Tracking: Inquired about tracking the effectiveness of the training. Ms. Savage acknowledged the difficulty in quantifying mental health outcomes but cited positive feedback from daily surveys and observed improvements in de-escalation skills. Lieutenant Messina added that the feedback is "some of the best feedback I've ever seen for any training."
    • Docket #1662 Funds: Confirmed that the $20,000 for backfill overtime is likely included in overall grant-funded overtime calculations.
  • Councilor Gabriela Coletta Zapata:
    • Grant History: Asked how long the city has received these grants. Ms. Savage stated co-response grants have been received since 2010. The CIT-TTAC grant started around 2021 or 2022. The co-response grant was creatively repurposed for a peer specialist after clinicians were moved to the operating budget.
    • Impact on District 1: Inquired about the impact of the $80,000 co-response grant (Docket #1661) on District 1 (East Boston, Charlestown, North End, Wharf District). Ms. Savage explained that the peer specialist position is currently vacant but will likely work closely with hub tables, including the one in East Boston, to refer and assist individuals. She praised the work of Joanna Cataldo and the East Boston Neighborhood Health Center.
  • Councilor Benjamin Weber:
    • Recertification: Asked about ongoing training after the 40-hour CIT course. Ms. Savage stated a recertification process is being developed, likely a one-day refresher every three years, to keep officers updated on skills and resources. These refreshers will also be supported by DMH funds.
    • Data on Skill Usage: Inquired about data on how routinely CIT skills are used. Lieutenant Messina noted the difficulty in quantifying this but observed a clear difference in de-escalation approaches between trained and untrained officers. Ms. Savage added that mental health calls are hard to track as many incidents with a mental health component are not coded as such. She advocated for a "mental health" checkbox in the CAD system.
    • Future of Grants: Asked about the expectation of continued grant funding. Ms. Savage expressed optimism, noting that Boston receives a disproportionate share of funds due to its impact.
    • Coordinator Employment: Confirmed that the CIT training coordinator is a civilian employee of the BPD, the "first ever civilian employee in the street outreach unit."
  • Councilor Edward Flynn:
    • Veterans Support: Asked about the impact of the training on veterans. Ms. Savage explained that the CIT training includes a specific module on special populations, including veterans, who are at high risk for suicide and substance use.
    • Lieutenant Messina stated that the BPD teaches this module internally, focusing on de-escalation and connecting veterans to available resources, many of which officers and veterans themselves may not know about.
    • Next Training: Lieutenant Messina announced the next 40-hour training is scheduled for December 1st-5th and invited councilors to observe.
    • Homeless Veterans: Inquired about the prevalence of homeless veterans. Lieutenant Messina noted they are seen citywide but predominantly in the A1 district (Downtown) and South Boston, attributing the latter to the deep military lineage in the area.
    • Officer Mental Health: Asked about BPD's support for officers' mental health, given the demanding nature of the job. Lieutenant Messina highlighted the Peer Support Unit as a "fantastic" resource for officers and their families, and praised command staff for their support.
  • Councilor Enrique Pepén:
    • BPD Commitment: Commended BPD's commitment to mental health training, seeing it as a benefit for de-escalation and community relations.
    • BEST Team Calls: Asked about the number of calls involving BEST team members. Ms. Savage offered to provide FY25 data, which includes metrics like emergency department diversions, arrest diversions, and referrals to services, as well as follow-ups.
    • Resource Partnerships: Inquired if BPD feels it has adequate resources and partnerships (e.g., with Veterans Affairs, Office of Housing Stability). Lieutenant Messina confirmed that these partnerships exist and CIT training provides officers with the resources to make informed decisions and divert individuals to appropriate internal and external services.

Outcome:

  • No public testimony was received.
  • The committee will consider these dockets for a vote at a future council meeting.

Adjournment: The hearing on Dockets #1346, #1661, and #1662 was adjourned.

Last updated: Nov 25, 2025

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